[Feature Request] Entire computer backup – more resilience

[DatatoSecure]

We encountered a case where a computer could not be backed up, as there was a problem with a USB Key. The Agent Backup job (Full) email’s error message stated: Error: Unable to back up disk (F:) due to invalid partition table. Nothing could be backed up from the computer’s hard drive, until we remotely ejected the USB key via the Disk Management Console.

Physical world analogies would be: “sorry Sir we could not wash your car since we could not open the glove compartment”; sorry Madam, we could not paint your house, since we did not have access to the kids’ tree house.

The Veeam Agent should be more resilient. Customers don’t expect us to backup their USB keys, but they sure expect us their hard drives.

[veremin]

By default, we exclude external devices from processing, so your issue doesn't seem to be related to USB drive presence. Have you already reached our support team with this issue or checked this KB article? Thanks.

[DatatoSecure]

Hello,

The issue was related to the USB key presence, the backup could only be started once we remotely ejected the USB key via the Disk Management Console.

We push a backup policy via the Veeam Availability Console, in the policy's Backup Mode we selected the "Entire computer (recommended)" option.

Regards.

[veremin]

The issue was related to the USB key presence.

As mentioned, such devices are excluded from processing automatically, so can you provide us with support ticket ID and we would confirm that internally? Thanks.

[hubran]

I'm having the absolutely same issue with a couple of laptops that were recently upgraded to VAW version 2.1.0.423. They don't have a real USB device attached but Grundig dictation hardware that is plugged in a dock for charging over night and connects to the computer via USB (and registers a drive D: to the OS (Windows 10 v1709)). Backup jobs ran fine with the previous VAW version 2.0. With this dictation hardware it is even worse than with a USB drive since I cannot eject it remotelly via Disk Management Console. It reconnects immediately and the backup fails. Only way to back up the laptop is to physically undock the Digtaphone.

[Dima P.]

Hello hubran,

Veeam B&R does not process external devices when Entire Computer backup mode is selected. If you suspect your USB device cases backup job to fail, please, submit a support case and share the case ID. Thank you in advance.

[DatatoSecure]

The problem with the USB key came back, either the client's computer was rebooted or the USB key reinserted. The client's computer is a typical Windows 7 machine with one drive, containing the typical system reserved and C:\ partitions. Yet the C:\ partition is not backed up because “disk (F:) has an invalid partition table”.

As we know, a partition table is maintained on each storage device. For resiliency the Veeam Agent encountering a problem with a storage device should simply back up the others.

Someone at Veeam needs to look at the hard drives back up sequence in the Windows agent when the Entire Computer backup mode is selected.

[Gostev]

We looked at could not confirm the issue, so most likely it is specific to your client's environment (or your client's USB device). Please open a support case from the corresponding machine so that we could look at the debug logs to understand what is causing the issue. Thank you!

[DatatoSecure]

I did open a case, no. 02652707
The case was not resolved, but I closed it.
I moved out the files from the USB key, removed and recreated the partition, formatted it and voila! it works.
Developers and/or programmers need to modify the code.

That is all for now.